Since men perpetrate rape, the rape article should be aimed at teaching men how not to rape. Where are the tips to help men not attack women? Women can take all the precautions in the world, but they are not the rapists. They have no control over rapists' behavior.

Can I suggest that most people do not need to keep the DRCC helpline number on speed dial?

999 should suffice.

and is there any evidence that spiked drinks are a major cause of rape?

Here's another tip a friend gave me.

If you have to get a taxi alone, note the number and when you get in, ring ahead to let a friind, family member or flat mate know that you have got a taxi, the number, where you are and when you expect to arrive.

It's no harm  to keep the DRCC helpline number on your phone tho maybe not on speed dial Is there any evidence that spiked drinks are a cause of rape? Oh COME ON?

an article should be aimed at teaching men how not to rape?? Are you serious? Any man sick enough to need to be taught how not to rape needs far more than just an article.

which would be a bigger factor, spiked drinks or the amount of alcohol taken?

You should add a send to a friend facility, so that those who read your site can pass on the info to those they feel need to read it.

re the point about taxi drivers, why do people always assume that these men are the perpetrators? How many taxi drivers have been known to rape women? now answer this: how many taxi drivers have been attacked lately (some lured to the site of their attack by female passengers) Some women demonstrate a ridiculous stupidity when out drinking. My Father used to be a taxi driver and more than once he had a female passenger in his car who passed out from drinnking too much.When this happened he would call the police and give his location reg number etc and would be advised to drop her to the address she had given. With one of them my Dad actually had to take her keys out of her pocket, open the front door for her and alert flatmates that she had been dropped home and needed an eye kept on her! Now I am not saying that ANY woman ever behaves in a way that justifies rape, but I am sick and tired of people banging on about the evils of taxi drivers and how they are all potential rapists when statistically this is just not true. Perhaps instead of pointing the finger we should aim to teach women about staying in groups, not travelling isolated areas alone, not consuming so much alcohol that they pass out and are anyones for the taking etc etc

My tip

Stay away from blokes that appear to be out drinking on their own or seem to be trying to attach themselves to another group of lads.

Is there any evidence that spiked drinks are a cause of rape? Oh COME ON?

Am I to take it then that there is evidence (rather than urban myth?) (oh do come on - show us the evidence!)

The amount of alcohol taken doesn't give anyone the right to rape. True, it is not statistacally true about taxi drivers and potential rapists but it is better to be careful however the point about spiked drink is - The RCC can verify this. Good advice also Hammer.

Anon - 5th of January - if it is true that there is a substantial risk of Rohypnol (for example a number of proven episodes in Ireland) then I will be happy to accept the DRCC advice.

You have not provided the evidence - despite being asked to do so. You say that the DRCC has the evidence - but they have not apparently made it public (if they have you might please direct me to it)?

Assertions of opinion are not the same as evidence and, in serious circumstances such as these, there are surely strong grounds for publishing whatever basis the DRCC has for its warnings?

Public, I have already referenced you to the DRCC, if You want the information, I suggest You contact them

"Not good enough" What are you now? Some teachr in a class of unruly 7 year olds!I have told you where to go for the evidence you are seeking.A "mere anecdote", I sincerely hope that based on that you are never in a position to advise women as regards leavign their drinks unattended in a pub or other venue.

"a convenient fig leaf". Are you seriously suggesting that women actually lie about rape simply becuase they were drunk when it happened. That would be nothing short of misogynist twaddle. That being "out of their minds with drink" regardless of the evidence you percieve is not positive for anyone regardless of gender nor age but it doesn't gave anyone the right to rape - NOTHING does.

"I realise that this thesis might be inconvenient as men could not unequivocably be blamed" Sigh - Where do you get off with the male victim mindset

Here is one for you.

A male friend of ours had his drink spiked !! Harcourt Street.

He woke up at 4am in the morning on his hands & knees in a laneway.

Didn`t know where he was or what had happened in the previous 2/3 hours.

Went to doctor next morning scared shitless.

He was clear, nothing had happened thank god.

I have to agree with publicrealm to some extent here. Although there can never be any excuse for rape, and no woman ever "asks for it", there are women who have reckless sex while under the influence and then cry rape the following day. As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I find it infuriating that there are women who put themselves in positions where they KNOW they will be vulnerable. I am not saying that ANY woman deserves to be raped, but how can people equate a prostitute who sells sex illegaly crying rape, with the abhorrent violation of a 7 year old child who has done NOTHING to put herself in such a situation, except trust people she should not because of the innocence afforded to her by age and vulnerablility?

Lou I agree that for a woman to have reckless sex while under the influence and then cry rape the following day - simply becuase she regrets it (who hasn't done something silly and regretted it) is an apalling thing to do. But equally so is implying that a woman who has been raped as a result of spiked drink was somehow imagined to be drunk to the point where rape was justified.

I don't think anyone was talking about a prostitute who sells sex illegaly crying rape - altho of course prostition itself is illegal but this doesn't take from the fact that a prostitute can be raped. Simply because she sells sex does not take away her right to refuse consent any more than being married or drunk or young takes away a womans right to refuse consent.

Anonymous can I re-iterate again that I have not stated that drunkeness is justification for rape - nothing is. At least we are both agreed on that one. Re prostitutes, I never claimed that they DESERVED to be raped, of course everyone is entitled to say no if they do not want sex. It is barbaric to think otherwise, the point I was making was that I hate to see women putting themselves in danger like that, and then trying to equate themselves with women who have been raped or children who have been abused. True that's not what was said here but it does happen. As someone who WAS abused (and believe me I did not do anything to put myself at risk) and whose abuser got away, do you realise how frustrating it is to know that there are women out there who actively put themselves at risk?